Vacuum machine for zipper bag

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a vacuum machine for zipper bag comprising a casing, a motor, vanes, a suction mouth, a suction opening, a vent, a power supply, a switch and so on, wherein the suction opening is disposed corresponding to the vanes; the suction mouth is of tubular shape and is exposed out of the casing, and the rear end of which connects to the suction opening, wherein it also comprises a clamping member that connects with the casing and surrounds a section of the suction mouth; a clamping gap is formed between the clamping member and the suction mouth; the clamping member comprises an upper clamping member and a lower clamping member which are disposed substantially parallel to each other, thereby forming a clamping gap opening, the width of which is between 2 mm and 5 mm. The present invention is of simple structure, small size, convenient for use, highly flexible and suitable for zipper bags of different sizes and types. It not only vacuumes zipper bags, but also securely seals the zipping strips of zipper bags, thereby solving the problem of difficultly sealing the zipping strips accurately.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/174,377,filed Jul. 5, 2005 in the name of Tung Yan LAU and entitled VACUUMMACHINE FOR ZIPPER BAG, which claims priority to PRC Utility ModelApplication No. 200520002122.0, filed 4 Feb. 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vacuum machines and more particularlypertains to a vacuum machine for zipper bag.

There are different types of zipper bags in the marketplace for generalhousehold food storage. The structure of these zipper bags can bedivided into two types, namely the zipping strip type and the slidingtab type. The zipping strip type is disposed with zipping strips forsealing on the two inner surfaces of the zipper bag opening. The zippingstrips are interlockable grooves and ridges corresponding to each other.Users may seal the zipper bag by lightly pressing the zipping strips toinsert the ridges into the grooves. However, it is often difficult topress the zipping strips accurately with fingers, especially for zipperbags with relatively wide openings. Users usually cannot seal the wholebag openings and this causes leakage of substance inside and fails toattain the effect of sealing.

The sliding tab type zipper bag is also disposed with interlockingzipping strips on the upper inner surfaces of the bag opening, with asliding tab provided in addition thereto. The sliding tab is usuallylike a clamp which clamps the zipping strips in its clamping gap. Usersonly need to slide the sliding tab along the bag opening and the slidingtab would press and seal the zipping strips, thereby achieving sealing.Although sliding tab type zipper bags can seal bag openings easily, mostsliding tabs are primitive in their structure and become loose easily.They are therefore not suitable for prolonged repeated use.

Moreover, both zipping strip type and sliding tab type zipper bags failto attain the effect of complete vacuum. This is particularly apparentwhen they are used for food storage. If there is plenty of air inside azipper bag, food becomes oxidized and rotten easily and cannot be storedfor a long period of time. Although there are vacuum machines for vacuumsealing of plastic packaging bags in the marketplace, these vacuummachines are usually of complex structure and are bulky in size, whichare not suitable for general household use. Some zipper bags aredisposed with unidirectional suction valves for the vacuuming function,but this increases production costs and lacks flexibility. If users needto use zipper bags of different sizes, they would need to buy extravacuum zipper bags.

Chinese Utility Model Patent No. 02271835.4 discloses a micro vacuummachine which is small and light. It draws out air from a zipper bagthrough a cylindrical suction mouth inserted into the bag so as toattain the vacuuming effect. However, users still need to press thezipping strips of the zipper bag with their hands when using this vacuummachine, which fails to solve the problem of difficultly sealing thezipping strips accurately. Even if a sliding tab zipper bag is used,users have to remove the suction mouth and zip the sliding tab atexactly the same time. The time lag between the two actions may causeentrance of air into the zipper bag, thereby reducing the vacuumingeffect.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid disadvantages now present in the prior art, theobject of the present invention is to provide a vacuum machine forzipper bag which is of simple structure, small size, convenient for use,highly flexible and suitable for zipper bags of different sizes andtypes. It not only vacuumes zipper bags, but also securely seals thezipping strips of zipper bags, thereby solving the problem ofdifficultly sealing the zipping strips accurately.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a casing, amotor, vanes, a suction mouth, a suction opening, a vent, a powersupply, a switch and so on; the power supply, the motor and the switchare electrically connected; the vanes are fixed on a motor axis; thesuction opening is disposed corresponding to the vanes; the suctionmouth is of tubular shape and is exposed out of the casing, and the rearend of which connects to the suction opening, wherein it also comprisesa clamping member that connects with the casing and surrounds a sectionof the suction mouth; a clamping gap is formed between the clampingmember and the suction mouth; the clamping member comprises an upperclamping member and a lower clamping member which are disposedsubstantially parallel to each other, thereby forming a clamping gapopening, the width of which is between 2 mm and 5 mm. The width andlength of the clamping gap are adapted to receive an average zipper bag,and the width and length of the clamping gap opening are adapted topress and seal the zipping strips of an average zipper bag.

The cross section of the suction mouth is of olive shape, so that thezipping strips can be easily pressed and sealed and that the gap betweenthe zipping strips and the suction mouth can be reduced, therebyincreasing the suction efficiency.

The diagonal joining the corners of the olive-shaped suction mouth isinclined at an angle of 45° to the horizon.

The clamping member extends from the casing along the tubular wall ofthe suction mouth and surrounds one of the olive-shaped corners of thesuction mouth, and the clamping gap opening corresponds to theolive-shaped corner.

The clamping member movably connects to the casing and the clampingmember can rotate corresponding to the casing so as to move towards oraway from the suction mouth, thereby adjusting the width of the clampinggap. Users may move the clamping member away from the suction mouth toincrease the width of the clamping gap, so as to insert the zipper bagmouth in between the suction mouth and the clamping member into theclamping gap.

The upper clamping member and the lower clamping member movably connectto the casing separately; the upper clamping member and the lowerclamping member can rotate corresponding to the casing separately so asto move towards or away from the suction mouth, thereby adjusting thewidth of the clamping gap.

A handle is disposed on the clamping member; the handle connects to theupper clamping member and the lower clamping member; the handle connectsto a pivot of the casing; the handle rotates corresponding to the casingon the pivot and actuates the upper clamping member and the lowerclamping member to rotate simultaneously, so as to move towards or awayfrom the suction mouth, thereby adjusting the width of the clamping gap.

A spring is disposed on the clamping member; the spring moves theclamping member away from the suction mouth when it is in a releasedstate and moves the clamping member towards the suction mouth when it isin a compressed state.

The suction mouth is longer than the clamping gap.

The suction mouth movably connects to a suction tube; the length of thesuction tube may vary with the size of the zipper bag. Preferably, thebottom of the suction tube is disposed near the bottom of the zipperbag, so as to facilitate suction of air from the bottom of the zipperbag, thereby attaining better vacuuming effect.

A plurality of ridges or grooves is disposed on the upper clampingmember and the lower clamping member respectively on the sides facingthe clamping gap opening, so as to prevent slipping and displacement ofthe zipper bag.

The power supply is dry batteries or rechargeable batteries. When thepower supply is rechargeable batteries, the rechargeable batteriesconnect to a recharging plug, and a socket is disposed on the casingcorresponding to the recharging plug.

To use the present invention, users may insert the suction mouth intoone end of the zipper bag opening and ensure that the ends of thezipping strips of the bag opening is disposed inside the clamping gapopening. Then, turn on the switch to drive the motor to make the vanesrotate to proceed vacuuming. At the same time, pull the presentinvention in the direction towards the suction mouth and the clampinggap opening will press and seal the zipping strips. When the suctionmouth reaches the other end of the bag opening, ensure that air insidethe bag is all drawn out and then remove the suction mouth and press andseal the rest of the zipping strips.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the dismantling view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the present invention in itsdefault position before sealing.

FIG. 3 shows the first embodiment of the present invention in its sealedposition.

FIG. 4 shows the circuit diagram of the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 shows the dismantling view of the second embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 shows the circuit diagram of the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 shows the perspective view of the third embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is further described in detail with the followingembodiments and the accompanying drawings. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and4, the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a casing 1composed of an upper casing 11 and a lower casing 12, a motor 2, vanes3, a suction opening 4, a vent 5, a tubular suction mouth 6, a clampingmember 7, a power supply 8, a switch 9 and so on. In this embodiment,the power supply 8 is four 1.5 volts AA batteries disposed in a batterybox inside the casing 1. The power supply 8, the motor 2 and the switch9 are electrically connected. The vanes 3 are fixed on a motor axis 21and the suction opening 4 corresponds to the vanes 3 and is disposed inthe front thereof. The suction mouth 6 is exposed out the casing 1, andthe rear end of the suction mouth 6 connects to the suction opening 4.The cross section of the suction mouth 6 is of olive shape, and thediagonal joining the corners of the olive-shaped suction mouth 6 isinclined at an angle of 45° to the horizon. The cross section of thesuction mouth 6 is of olive shape, so that the zipping strips can beeasily pressed and sealed and that the gap between the zipping stripsand the suction mouth can be reduced, thereby increasing the suctionefficiency.

The clamping member 7 connects to the casing 1. It extends from thecasing 1 along the tubular wall of the suction mouth 6 and surrounds oneof the olive-shaped corners of the suction mouth 6, forming a clampinggap with the suction mouth 6. The suction mouth 6 is longer than theclamping gap. The width and length of the clamping gap are adapted toreceive an average zipper bag. The clamping member 7 comprises an upperclamping member 71 and a lower clamping member 72 which are disposedsubstantially parallel to each other. In between the two, there is aclamping gap opening 73. The clamping gap opening 73 corresponds to theolive-shaped corner of the suction mouth 6, and the width of theclamping gap opening 73 is 3 mm. The width and length of the clampinggap opening 73 are adapted to press and seal the zipping strips of anaverage zipper bag. A plurality of ridges is disposed on the upperclamping member 71 and the lower clamping member 72 respectively on thesides facing the clamping gap opening 73. Grooves are applicable inplace of ridges (not shown in the drawings). In this embodiment, ahandle 74 is disposed on the clamping member 7. The handle 74 connectsto the upper clamping member 71 and the lower clamping member 72. Thehandle 74 pivotally connects to the casing 1 through a pivot 75. Thehandle 74 rotates corresponding to the casing 1 on the pivot 75 andactuates the upper clamping member 71 and the lower clamping member 72to rotate simultaneously, so as to move the clamping member 7 towards oraway from the suction mouth 6, thereby adjusting the width of theclamping gap. A spring 76 is also disposed on the clamping member 7. Thespring 76 moves the clamping member 7 away from the suction mouth 6 whenit is in a released position and moves the clamping member 7 towards thesuction mouth 6 when it is in a compressed position. In otherembodiments (not shown in the drawings), the clamping member 7 maymovably connects to the casing 1 and the clamping member 7 can rotatecorresponding to the casing 1 so as to move towards or away from thesuction mouth 6, thereby adjusting the width of the clamping gap. Theupper clamping member 71 and the lower clamping member 72 can alsomovably connect to the casing 1 separately and the upper clamping member71 and the lower clamping member 72 can rotate corresponding to thecasing 1 separately, so as to move towards or away from the suctionmouth 6, thereby adjusting the width of the clamping gap.

In this embodiment, the handle 74 also serves as a switch. When thehandle 74 is driven to move the clamping member 7 towards the positionof the suction mouth 6, the switch 9 is turned on to drive the motor 2to make the vanes 3 rotate to proceed vacuuming.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, to use the present invention, users mayinsert one end of the zipper bag opening into the clamping gap inbetween the suction mouth 6 and the clamping member 7 and ensure thatthe ends of the zipping strips of the bag opening is disposed inside theclamping gap opening 73 as in FIG. 2. Then, drive the handle 74 to aposition that moves the clamping member 7 towards the suction mouth 6,so that the switch 9 is turned on to drive the motor 2 to make the vanes3 rotate to proceed vacuuming. At the same time, pull the presentinvention in the direction towards the suction mouth 6, and the clampinggap opening 73 will press and seal the zipping strips. When the suctionmouth 6 reaches the other end of the bag opening as in FIG. 3, ensurethat air inside the bag is all drawn out and then remove the suctionmouth 6 and press and seal the rest of the zipping strips.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the second embodiment of the present invention.The structure of this embodiment is generally the same as that of thefirst embodiment, with the exception that the power supply 8 isrechargeable batteries. The rechargeable batteries connect to arecharging plug. A socket 13 is disposed on the casing 1 correspondingto the recharging plug.

FIG. 7 shows the third embodiment of the present invention. Thestructure of this embodiment is generally the same as that of the firstembodiment, with the exception that the suction mouth 6 movably connectsto a suction tube 61. The length of the suction tube 61 may vary withthe size of the zipper bag 10. Preferably, the bottom of the suctiontube 61 is disposed closely with the bottom of the zipper bag 10, so asto facilitate suction of air from the bottom of the zipper bag 10,thereby attaining better vacuuming effect.

1. A vacuum machine for closing a zipper bag having zipping strips, themachine comprising: a casing; a suction device disposed within thecasing; a suction mouth disposed from the casing, the suction mouthconnected to the suction device; a clamping member disposed from thecasing, the clamping member movable relative to the casing; a switchconnected to the clamping member, wherein actuation of the switch movesthe clamping member and activates the suction device.
 2. The vacuummachine according to claim 1, wherein the clamping member rotatesrelative to the casing.
 3. The vacuum machine according to claim 1,wherein the clamping member rotates on a pivot.
 4. The vacuum machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the switch is pivotally connected to thecasing on a pivot.
 5. The vacuum machine according to claim 1, whereinthe switch is a handle.
 6. The vacuum machine according to claim 1,wherein the suction device includes a suction opening, and the suctionmouth is connected to the suction opening.
 7. The vacuum machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the suction device includes a motor andvanes.
 8. The vacuum machine according to claim 7, wherein the switchactivates the suction device by activating the motor to rotate thevanes, thereby creating suction through the suction mouth.
 9. The vacuummachine according to claim 1, wherein the suction mouth includes a tubeconnected to the suction device, and the tube is longer than theclamping member.
 10. The vacuum machine according to claim 1, whereinthe zipper bag has first and second zipping strips and the clampingmember is configured to press the first and second zipping stripstogether.
 11. The vacuum machine according to claim 1, wherein theclamping member is movable from an insert position and a sealingposition.
 12. The vacuum machine according to claim 11, wherein in theinsert position the zipper bag is inserted into the clamping member andin the sealing position the zipping strips of the zipper bag are pressedagainst the suction mouth, thereby pressing the zipping strips together.13. The vacuum machine according to claim 12, wherein the switch ismovable from an off position to an on position, wherein in the offposition the suction device is off and the clamping member is in theinsert position, and in the on position the suction device is activatedand the clamping member is in the sealing position.
 14. The vacuummachine according to claim 13, wherein movement of the switch rotatesthe clamping member.
 15. The vacuum machine according to claim 1,wherein the clamping member rotates, selectively moving the clampingmember toward or away from the suction mouth.
 16. The vacuum machineaccording to claim 1, wherein movement of the switch rotates theclamping member.
 17. The vacuum machine according to claim 1, whereinthe clamping member has an upper clamping member and a lower clampingmember disposed substantially parallel to each other forming a clampinggap opening.
 18. The vacuum machine according to claim 1, the casingfurther including a spring, wherein the spring holds the clamping memberin the insert position, and returns the clamping member to the insertposition when released from movement out of the insert position.
 19. Thevacuum machine according to claim 1, the clamping member including oneor more lateral ridges to guide the zipper bag.
 20. The vacuum machineaccording to claim 1, the casing further including a battery box forreceiving one or more batteries to power the suction device.